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ABSA 2009: Veterans Spring SV-surprise on Toyota Dealer 400.

Veterans Nardus Alberts and Geoff Minnitt struck a massive blow for the older generation when they won Class A in the Special Vehicle category at the Toyota Dealer 400, the penultimate round of the Absa Off Road Championship, which ended last weekend. It was the biggest surprise of the season with Alberts and Minnitt, in the Wrapsa BAT, come home ahead of the Regent Racing BAT crewed by Mike Whitehouse and Mathew Carlson. Whitehouse and Carlson were around five minutes behind Alberts and Minnitt with Naeem Moosajee and Feroz Doodha Moultson (Tyre Rack Jimco) maintaining their 100 percent finish record with third place.

Fourth and fifth were Nick and Ryan Harper, in the Atlas Copco BAT, with Mark Corbett and Rudi Balzer fifth in the Century Racing CR1 4x4. It was the first finish for the CR1 in 15 starts, with Corbett and Balzer having to overcome a disastrous Friday prologue to determine race start positions.

The big surprise was a first non finish for the Motorite Revo1 4x4 in the hands of newly crowned South African champions Evan Hutchison and Achim Bergmann. A high speed encounter with a rock that led to major suspension damage sidelined the new champions.

"This was totally unexpected," said Alberts who was almost forced to retire after suffering a serious back injury in an accident a year ago. “It was at the end of the second loop that we realised we had a chance of winning. "We also hit something about 20 kilometres from the end and were a little lucky to make it to the finish."

Two other fancied crews also fell by the wayside. Gearbox problems sidelined Highveld 400 winners Gerhard du Plessis and Ferdie Seegers, with a mechanical problem putting paid to Toyota 1000 Desert Race winners Shameer Variawa and Siegfried Rousseau in the Total Porter.

The Class P honours went to KwaZulu-Natal crew Don Thompson and Hjalmar van Gesselen (Zarco) who overcame a disappointing prologue to lead home the KEC BAT in the hands of Johan van Staden and James Rossouw. At the finish only 17 seconds separated the two cars.

Third were reigning champion Johan and Etienne Bezuidenhout in the Adenco BAT. With David and Gary White (Ruwacon BAT) among the non finishers it was a result that saw the Bezuidenhout brothers reignite their championship hopes.

The Class B honours went to Derrick du Toit and substitute co-driver Steve Harris in the Orange Tree BAT. It was du Toit’s fourth win in a row with the Makenete brothers, Keith and Andrew, trailing in around 12 minutes behind the winners. Third were John Telford and Jaco Swart in the Calcamite Zarco Lite. With one event remaining, the RFS 400 in the Magaliesberg, du Toit can now not be beaten in the Class B championship.